SCO was Microsoft’s patent warm-up act

PJ at Groklaw has uncovered this little gem from an exhibit filed in SCO v. Novell. Fascinating stuff. It’s always interesting when you can finally read things that were intended to be private.

In this case, it looks like SCO was a definite precursor to Microsoft’s patent charade, what with a “right to use” Linux, covenants not to sue, etc. Meager minds think alike?

So it looks like SCOsource was the first draft or dress rehearsal for what Microsoft is now trying with patents, all right, trying to find a way to neuter the GPL so it can tax Linux. That was SCO’s dream too. As you’ll see, Sontag speaks about a “right to use” license for Linux. That’s what SCOsource was, or what it included. Linux users were supposed to pay SCO for a right to use Linux. Speaking of rights, what right does SCO have to decide who has a right to use Linux? Now Microsoft wants us to pay them too for a “right to use” Linux. It’s like a hustle which requires vagueness about their claims — they don’t want any “infringement” fixed. They want to charge for it perpetually. Two dying companies trying to ride the Linux wave to survive a little longer by hook or by crook.

I wonder if Microsoft crafted the Novell deal from what they learned about the GPL from the SCOsource experience? Or did Microsoft provide SCO with the legal strategy in the first place? We don’t know yet, but I’ll bet we’ll find out someday.

To my friends at Microsoft: SCO is about the last company on this planet you want to be compared to. You are a great software company; you’re a weak law firm. Try spending more time on the former, and less on the latter.